Patton's Pot of Gold

By Michael Banks - Editor
The Union County Advocate - August 5, 1998

Preceded by a gloomy, wet rain, Gov. Paul Patton and his traveling caravan brought a ray of sunshine, to the tune of nearly $2 million, to Union County Wednesday morning.

As the sun peeked out from the rain clouds upon Patton's arrival in a large motor coach at the old Camp Breckinridge Officers Club near Morganfield, local political leaders rushed to greet Kentucky's Governor.

It was a greeting befitting a man carrying checks totaling some $1.9 million to fund two ambitious projects here in the county, the renovation of the Officers Club into a Museum and Arts Center, and the building of new arena, Convention Center and horse barn at the local fairgrounds.

The Union County Fiscal Court was approved $1 million in funding from its single-county coal severance fund to use towards renovating the Officers Club into a Union County Museum and Arts Center. The fund can be used for economic development projects.

Patton, who was making his first visit to the Officer Club, was in awe of the 44 murals that line the walls of the building and depict scenes from the homeland of two former German prisoners-of-war who painted the murals while they were incarcerated at Camp Breckinridge during World War II.

"This is a unique piece of history. This is really impressive. It really makes you proud just to have a part in it." Patton said as he walked along the balcony, viewing the colorful murals whose future was once threatened when talk earlier this year centered on the potential sale of the building.

However, the Union County Fiscal Court, urged by Judge Executive Jim Veatch, quickly approved the purchase of the building for $165,000 in September.

Plans now call for two wings, that served as dining area and bar for Camp Breckinridge soldiers in the buildings heyday during World War II and the Korean War, to be the new home for the Union County Museum and Arts Center.

The main floor of the Officers Club, which served as a dance floor, will be used as a mini-convention center and will be rented out for receptions and weddings.

"I think he was impressed." Veatch said, when asked of the Governors impression. "He can see that we're going to make a silk purse out of a sows ear."

Veatch said they are currently in the pre-development phase of the project.

He anticipates that only $750,000 of the $1 million the county was approved will be spent on the project. In addition, some of the coal severance money could be used to repay the $165,000 in loans the county used to buy the building. The money not used on the project will revert back to the county's coal severance fund, Veatch said.

Most of the renovation work will be on the exterior of the building, said the county judge executive.

The other Union County projects that were approved for funding from the States budget surplus were a new Arena and Convention Center at the Union County Fairgrounds.

Edward O'Nan, the manager of the local fairgrounds, credited state Rep. John Arnold, of Sturgis, for helping to secure $900,000 for the local project.

"You, really have to give John the credit for walking it through the legislature."O'Nan said of the money that was appropriated in the 1998 General Assembly budget.

He said the Union County Fair Board plans to construct a 43,750 square foot arena and 12,500 square foot Convention Center. The buildings will be located to the west of the current carnival area. "They'll serve a multitude of functions, from hosting horse shows and rodeos to baby contests and tractor pulls." O'Nan said.

"This will give us some all weather protection." O'Nan said pointing out the two events had to be moved due to the rain to a smaller indoors area at this years fair.

In addition, the fair, board received the funding to build a new horse barn, measuring 120 feet in length, this will feature 40 stalls. The new horse barn will be located adjacent to the current horse barns across the track form the fairs grandstand area.

O'Nan said they are still awaiting final approval on the projects funding from the state, which should come in August, and finishing up "paperwork" on the proposal. Once state approval comes, he said, they'll start a preliminary survey.

O'Nan said they hope to begin construction in the fall and have the buildings completed by the time the 1999 fair, which will be celebrating its 50^th anniversary, rolls around in early July.

"We're going to have one heck of a big party." O'Nan said.

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